The present invention relates to high temperature superconductors and methods of making same.
Recently, there has been much work done on the utilization of ternary oxides containing rare earth elements, barium, and copper for superconductivity above the temperature of liquid nitrogen. To date, these systems typically require four elements: a rare earth; an alkaline earth; copper; and oxygen. Superconductor systems based on rare earth elements have not been entirely satisfactory. The use of rare earth elements in the production of superconductors increases the cost of the resultant superconductors because these rare earth elements are in relatively short supply and are expensive. Furthermore, these systems typically exhibit limited transition temperatures at or below 93 K. Partial substitutions of elements for the member(s) in these systems have not produced significantly higher temperature superconductors.
Typical high temperature superconductive systems based on rare earth elements also suffer the disadvantage of not being producible in an expedient manner. Therefore, typical methods for producing these high temperature superconductive systems do not provide low cost processing and manufacturability.
Accordingly, there is a need for a new superconductive system and process for making same.